News / Regional
Ncube-led MDC expels Matabeleland South chairman
18 Oct 2013 at 03:59hrs | Views
The Movement for Democratic Change led by Prof Welshman Ncube has dismissed its Matebeleland South Provincial Chairman and veteran politician Petros Mukwena.
Mukwena received his dismissal letter on Tuesday after he failed to attend a party disciplinary hearing on Friday last week. The vocal and no nonsense chairman has been on suspension since February this year after he clashed with the party's Secretary General Priscilla Misihairabwi Mushonga and Treasurer General Paul Temba Nyathi. The fracas started when Mushonga through the assistance and backing of Temba Nyathi submitted her application to contest House of Assembly elections as top candidate in the Matebeleland South Women's quota proportional representation list.
It is reported that following heated arguments between the trio Mukwena who was resisting Mushonga's application on the grounds that she was not from Matebeleland South ended up using vulgar language on the two senior officers leading to his suspension for insurbodination. The suspension of the well respected chairman immediately tore the Matelebeland South province apart as most members of the party were against the suspension of Mukwena and the imposing of Mushonga and many others in the proportional representation lists. This according to party sources was the major contribution to the party's dismal performance in the province at the just ended elections though the party leadership disputes the fact.
In an interview, Mukwena confirmed that he had been dismissed from the party and laments the decision taken by the unconstitutionally built disciplinary committee which he called a "kangaroo court". According to Mukwena, he did not attend the disciplinary hearing comprised of people sympathetic and biased to the appellants in the case Mushonga and Nyathi.
Mukwena says that he does not understand how Pharaoh Jele who is employed by the party as an administrator can go on and chair a disciplinary hearing of his employers. This according to Mukwena is unconstitutional as no party employee can head a disciplinary hearing and so was not going to attend the hearing. He further alleges that some of the people who were meant to lead the disciplinary hearing were also mentioned as would be witnesses. "I can not sit in a disciplinary hearing comprised of people with "perculinary" interests to the case and the appellants, that's a kangaroo court" said Mukwena.
Asked what his next move would be in this case, Mukwena indicated that he is still consulting on the case but has since replied to the disciplinary committee without disclosing the contents of his letter. "I cannot make a quick decision on this matter but I have responded to the disciplinary committee and gave them my side of the issue. I am also in the meantime consulting with other members of the province and will get guidance from them".
On the side Mukwena strongly emphasised that if the party is not careful such drastic and un thought of decisions on the province will lead to a complete disintegration of the party in Matebeleland South. He was quick to mention that Paul Temba Nyathi the Treasurer General and Priscilla Mushonga the Secretary General are destroying the party and the sooner the two are put under control by the party the better.
Mukwena with the support of other senior Matebeleland South party members amongst them former Members of Parliament Patrick Dube, Moses Mzila Moyo, Siyabonga Malandu and Women's Assemble Chair lady Elizabeth Ndlovu have been vocal in calling for the removal of Mushonga from Parliament on a Mat South ticket as she is not from Matebeleland South.
Asked for a comment a member of the MDC and a former Gwanda Municipality Councillor who refused to be named also lamented the decision of the disciplinary hearing. "These people sitting comfortably in the offices in Bulawayo don't know what they are doing. They have completely destroyed this province which we had build so hard just because they wanted to harvest from our sweat when they have not planted." Said the senior member.
In his resignation from the party recently the former Matebeleland South Youth Treasurer who defected to the MDC T Wellington Nare expressed similar sentiments accusing the party leadership of mingling too much into the affairs of Matebeleland South Province and accused them of having an "ideological problem".
Mukwena received his dismissal letter on Tuesday after he failed to attend a party disciplinary hearing on Friday last week. The vocal and no nonsense chairman has been on suspension since February this year after he clashed with the party's Secretary General Priscilla Misihairabwi Mushonga and Treasurer General Paul Temba Nyathi. The fracas started when Mushonga through the assistance and backing of Temba Nyathi submitted her application to contest House of Assembly elections as top candidate in the Matebeleland South Women's quota proportional representation list.
It is reported that following heated arguments between the trio Mukwena who was resisting Mushonga's application on the grounds that she was not from Matebeleland South ended up using vulgar language on the two senior officers leading to his suspension for insurbodination. The suspension of the well respected chairman immediately tore the Matelebeland South province apart as most members of the party were against the suspension of Mukwena and the imposing of Mushonga and many others in the proportional representation lists. This according to party sources was the major contribution to the party's dismal performance in the province at the just ended elections though the party leadership disputes the fact.
In an interview, Mukwena confirmed that he had been dismissed from the party and laments the decision taken by the unconstitutionally built disciplinary committee which he called a "kangaroo court". According to Mukwena, he did not attend the disciplinary hearing comprised of people sympathetic and biased to the appellants in the case Mushonga and Nyathi.
Mukwena says that he does not understand how Pharaoh Jele who is employed by the party as an administrator can go on and chair a disciplinary hearing of his employers. This according to Mukwena is unconstitutional as no party employee can head a disciplinary hearing and so was not going to attend the hearing. He further alleges that some of the people who were meant to lead the disciplinary hearing were also mentioned as would be witnesses. "I can not sit in a disciplinary hearing comprised of people with "perculinary" interests to the case and the appellants, that's a kangaroo court" said Mukwena.
Asked what his next move would be in this case, Mukwena indicated that he is still consulting on the case but has since replied to the disciplinary committee without disclosing the contents of his letter. "I cannot make a quick decision on this matter but I have responded to the disciplinary committee and gave them my side of the issue. I am also in the meantime consulting with other members of the province and will get guidance from them".
On the side Mukwena strongly emphasised that if the party is not careful such drastic and un thought of decisions on the province will lead to a complete disintegration of the party in Matebeleland South. He was quick to mention that Paul Temba Nyathi the Treasurer General and Priscilla Mushonga the Secretary General are destroying the party and the sooner the two are put under control by the party the better.
Mukwena with the support of other senior Matebeleland South party members amongst them former Members of Parliament Patrick Dube, Moses Mzila Moyo, Siyabonga Malandu and Women's Assemble Chair lady Elizabeth Ndlovu have been vocal in calling for the removal of Mushonga from Parliament on a Mat South ticket as she is not from Matebeleland South.
Asked for a comment a member of the MDC and a former Gwanda Municipality Councillor who refused to be named also lamented the decision of the disciplinary hearing. "These people sitting comfortably in the offices in Bulawayo don't know what they are doing. They have completely destroyed this province which we had build so hard just because they wanted to harvest from our sweat when they have not planted." Said the senior member.
In his resignation from the party recently the former Matebeleland South Youth Treasurer who defected to the MDC T Wellington Nare expressed similar sentiments accusing the party leadership of mingling too much into the affairs of Matebeleland South Province and accused them of having an "ideological problem".
Source - Byo24News
